Anthony Papini .com

Saw two awesome things at the Farmer’s Market this weekend:

Both made me smile.

This weekend, we went to see My Fair Lady at the Paramount and it was fantastic! The sets and costumes were incredible and the singing was strong across the board. By far, the best moments of the musical were thanks to Tim Jerome’s brilliant portrayal of Alfred P. Doolittle. I have never seen a Seattle crowd have such a vibrant reaction! He was hilarious and really energized the crowd. It’s too bad the Paramount does such short runs of their musical tours. If you didn’t get to see this one, it’s really a shame…

1) The sun was out.

2) It was comfortable to be outside.

3) It did not rain. (Not a qualifier for spring in Seattle, though)

4) Did I mention the sun was out?

It just might be spring!

So, the incredibly rich, incredibly over-privileged residents of Magnolia, one of the most expensive neighborhoods of Seattle, are upset because the city plans to develop a homeless shelter at the now defunct Fort Lawton.

Living in South Seattle for a few years in a neighborhood that housed several low-income and previously no-income (i.e., homeless) folks had its struggles, I am not going to lie. However, I think that if provided with the right resources and support - counseling, education, job assistance programs, and other social services (which is usually the piece that is missing from all these programs) - this could be successful. In Holly Park, it was difficult to tell the low-income and no-income housing from the market-rate housing.

I know that I am very privileged myself, but the folks from Magnolia interviewed for this article kill me. They are upset that homeless people are going to be invading their grocery stores, damaging their property value, and affecting the natural habitat (there is a huge blue heron reserve there). These people don’t give a fuck about the birds - they are eating $10.00 a pound pâté. So, I hope they double the number of units they build there and also add some programming for the uber-rich folks: Living 101: Understanding & Respecting your Homeless Neighbors.

Can you see him in the bushes? He was sitting there, in the shrubs outside of Mary Gates Hall. Cute…

… REALLY creeps me out. It’s the floating eye.

So, I have only lived on the hill for a few months, but have spent most of my time for many years there. But, I have never felt unsafe on Capitol Hill. Granted, I didn’t feel unsafe in South Seattle either… and I also don’t randomly wander around the city at two or three in the morning.

Here’s the poster, what do you think?

It looks like the Sonics are leaving Seattle for sure. I’m indifferent on their staying or going. Luckily, we’re getting a pro soccer team soon, which will be great!